Our am dram ‘star’ this week is Spotlight Youth Productions

The organisers and leaders of Spotlight Youth Productions were awarded the Queens Award for Voluntary Service earlier in the year in recognition of the work that has been carried out over the last 26 years with young performers.

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is the highest award given to local volunteer groups across the UK, to recognise outstanding work done in their own communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate the anniversary of The Queen’s Coronation and it’s the equivalent of an MBE for volunteer groups.

This prestigious award, in recognition of the 21 years of service to the community and the strong emphasis on volunteering and active citizenship, followed an intensive scrutiny of the organisation and the current volunteers by Professor Rashid Gatrad, Deputy Lieutenant to Her Majesty the Queen.

Spotlight Youth Productions was founded in February 1997, with the specific aim of providing a youth theatre facility within the Brownhills area, and is run by a team of volunteers under the guidance and support of Brownhills Community Association.

These volunteers make up the formal management committee and production team of the group.

The aim of Spotlight has been to rehearse and perform musical theatre productions bringing fun and joy to its members and audiences alike, performing two main productions each year, a pantomime in January and a summer show in July with the occasional concerts and showcases in between.

Although the group has known since the summer that they were going to receive the award, it wasn’t until November 28, that Professor Gatrad presented the accolade to Steve Groves from the group at a presentation evening held at The Lamp in Brownhills.

The event was attended by volunteers, past and present, as well as the young performers who entertained the audience. Members of fellow group, Follow Spot were also in attendance.

Well done to everyone involved.

Spotlight Youth Productions’ next show will be Jack and the Roman Beanstalk, a slight variation on the original show, which they will present at Norton Canes High School from January 31-February 3.

l For tickets, call 07528 456 031 or visit www.spotlite.co.uk